{"id":303347,"date":"2025-11-20T14:38:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T14:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/303347\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T14:38:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T14:38:09","slug":"ct-insurer-lobs-accusations-at-health-system-over-contract-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/303347\/","title":{"rendered":"CT insurer lobs accusations at health system over contract talks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hartford-based Aetna, the health insurance giant owned by CVS Health Corp. is throwing down the gauntlet in its negotiations with UConn Health.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery action it ( UConn Health) has taken in our negotiations has demonstrated their myopic focus on the goal of being paid more for the same services,\u201d AETNA said in a statement to the Courant.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe University of Connecticut Health System (UCONN Health) wants to be one of the most expensive health systems in New England,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

Farmington-based UConn Health had late last month warned thousands of patients with Aetna insurance coverage that they may lose their \u201cin-network\u201d status with the health system\u2019s hospital, clinics and doctors if both sides did not reach an agreement on a new contract.<\/p>\n

The negotiations between UConn Health \u2014 the parent of John Dempsey Hospital<\/a>, a network of clinics and more than 700 providers \u2014\u00a0 and Hartford-based Aetna, the health insurance giant owned by\u00a0CVS Health Corp., remain at odds over reimbursement rates for services.<\/p>\n

UConn Health has said 15,000 patients would be affected by the outcome of the contract negotiations with Aetna. The contract expires Nov. 30.<\/p>\n

UConn Health pushed back sharply against Aetna, saying \u201cThe facts are clear: Aetna reimburses UConn Health at rates among the lowest in Connecticut\u2014despite our exceptional quality, safety, and outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

A spokesman said, \u201cTheir assertion that we seek to be one of the highest-paid health systems is patently false. In reality, given how far below market our current rates are, fair reimbursement from Aetna would simply bring us closer to the median\u2014not anywhere near the top.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further the UConn Health spokesperson said, \u201cAs Connecticut\u2019s only public academic medical center, our mission is to provide high-quality care, not drive-up costs. Yet Aetna\u2019s practice of paying us the lowest rates in the state benefits their companies at the expense of Connecticut taxpayers. This means public dollars are subsidizing Aetna\u2019s profits while we continue to deliver the highest level of quality and service\u2014at managed care rates of payment lower than some rural hospitals.\u201d<\/p>\n

The spokesperson also noted, \u201cAetna claims to be negotiating in good faith, yet they have not responded to our latest proposal submitted on November 3. This lack of engagement is unacceptable when patients\u2019 access to care is at risk. If no agreement is reached by November 30, Aetna\u2019s refusal to offer fair rates will jeopardize in-network access to UConn Health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAetna is a Hartford-based company that reported hundreds of millions of dollars in profits in the 3rd quarter of 2025 alone. They have the responsibility to be a fair partner to Connecticut families. Instead, they continue to put profits before patients. We remain committed to negotiating in good faith so patients can continue receiving the care they deserve,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

UConn has argued its reimbursement rate is \u201cmuch lower\u201d than the rates of other hospitals in Connecticut, despite revenue growth in the last decade and rankings that place it in the top tier of hospitals nationwide.<\/p>\n

But Aetna said, \u201cIf they (UConn) are successful, the high cost of health care will only go up. Aetna has engaged in good faith efforts to find a reasonable agreement with UCONN Health to keep healthcare affordable for our employers and members.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe continue to fight for the Connecticut businesses and fixed-income retirees who simply can\u2019t afford UCONN Health\u2019s price gouging,\u201d Aetna said.<\/p>\n

Aetna also has said, \u201cIf we do not reach an agreement by December 1, UConn Health facilities and doctors will no longer be part of the network for most Aetna Commercial members and all Aetna Medicare members.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly all Aetna commercial clients are self-insured, so 100% of the cost of care is paid directly by the employers and their employees.<\/p>\n

If negotiations do not resume before Dec. 1, UConn Health facilities and doctors will no longer be part of the network for most Aetna Commercial members and all Medicare members.<\/p>\n

State of Connecticut retirees may have access to UCONN Health through Extended Service Area, UConn Health has stated on its website.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, UConn Health system took out billboards along I-84 and I-91 pressuring another health insurer, Farmington-based ConnectiCare, to increase its reimbursement rates for medical services. ConnectiCare was acquired by California-based Molina Healthcare in February.<\/p>\n

UConn Health subsequently negotiated a new agreement with ConnectiCare after the current contract had expired.<\/p>\n

Reporting by Kenneth Gosselin is included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hartford-based Aetna, the health insurance giant owned by CVS Health Corp. is throwing down the gauntlet in its…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":303348,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[9148,19434,15364,28911,157673,20242,10247,15861,157670,3281,15862,97,252,157666,253,157671,157669,983,7380,3,157672,157674,21450,157667,157668,1867,79391,3447,69073,21676,11985,1688],"class_list":["post-303347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health-care","tag-aetna","tag-best","tag-billboards","tag-clients","tag-connecticare","tag-connecticut-news","tag-cost","tag-ct-news","tag-dempsey-hospital","tag-doctors","tag-hartford-courant","tag-health","tag-health-care","tag-health-insurance-plans","tag-healthcare","tag-in-network","tag-john-dempsey-hospital","tag-local-news","tag-negotiations","tag-news","tag-out-of-network","tag-outstanding","tag-patients","tag-ppo","tag-reimbursement-rates","tag-top","tag-uconn-health","tag-what","tag-when","tag-where","tag-who","tag-why"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303347"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303347\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/303348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}